[zeek]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

Is all of this intended to distract from the real news?

Trump put a 50% tariff on imported solar panels. This after a study shows that solar generated electricity will be cheaper than fossil fuel by 2020. In that event who would invest in a fossil fuel plant to generate electricity that would take 6 months to a year to clear regulatory hurdles and then another 20 years to pay back investors?

The fig leaf offered is that this tariff would protect manufacturing jobs in the US -- even though we only have two solar panel manufacturers and one of them has already declared bankruptcy. The real jobs in solar are not manufacturing of panels, but rather installation (involves skilled electricians and roofers) and maintenance over the life of the panels. Rather than create jobs or protect jobs this will retard the installation of solar power in this country.

The same thing happened with Britain after the discovery of the industrial revolution. They had a lead, but protected their investment in old technology rather than innovate and update equipment. They were very quickly left in the dust by the US and Germany.

I agree that tariff on solar panels is bad but I think the figure is 30% not 50.